For anyone deeply invested in technology, especially in the realms of IT and cybersecurity, the term "homelab" isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a way of life. A homelab is essentially your personal playground for experimentation, learning, and mastering systems outside the constraints of a corporate environment. It’s where theoretical ideas meet practical application. But... Buford...is it really necessary?

The best learning... for me at least... happens when you’re free to break things without consequences. That’s exactly what a homelab offers: the freedom to explore, fail, and iterate. You can experiment with new configurations, test cutting-edge tools, and simulate real-world scenarios all within a safe, controlled environment.

A homelab in cybersecurity, as a responder, is a must. You need to test what you think and try what you thought. While not risking your work environment or business operations, a homelab lets you simulate breaches, refine incident response strategies, and understand attack vectors. This hands-on practice is invaluable in building confidence and competence in real-world situations. Passing the cert is not enough.

You need to be about that life!

Starting a homelab doesn’t have to break the bank either. I have tons of hardware in my homelab that is over 8 years old and still working like a beast. With tools like virtualization software, old hardware, or even cloud-based solutions, you can create a robust setup to meet your learning needs. The possibilities are endless.

So, do you even homelab bro? If not, it’s time to start. Your homelab isn’t just a collection of hardware and software; it’s a mindset. Take the plunge and unlock your full potential. Go super-sayan

In cybersecurity, the demand for excellence, quick thinking, and constant availability often creates an unspoken expectation that working extra hours is just part of the job. However, it’s essential to step back and evaluate the true value of your time—not just in terms of a salary, but in terms of what that time represents personally/privately and professionally. This applies to entry-level and mid-level roles.

The Cost of Giving Away Time

When you spend extra hours on the job without compensation, you’re giving away a finite resource for free. Your time has a tangible value, whether measured by your hourly rate, the opportunity cost of missed personal growth, or the irreplaceable moments you could be spending with loved ones. This isn’t just about balance. It’s about recognizing what’s being traded away when “just one more hour” becomes a regular occurrence.

Cybersecurity professionals, analysts and admins in particular, are prone to this mindset. After all, the threats never stop, and there’s always another vulnerability to patch, another incident to analyze. But while this sense of urgency is intrinsic to the role, it’s critical to ask yourself: Is this time being used in a way that aligns with my long-term priorities, or is it being expected as “normal” by an employer that benefits disproportionately?

Investing Time in Personal Growth is Key

Instead of routinely giving away your evenings or weekends to work, consider how that time could be invested in your own development. The cybersecurity field is constantly evolving, and staying sharp requires deliberate effort. That extra hour could go toward studying for certifications, learning a new tool, or educating the next generation of cyber warriors. These activities not only enhance your skillset but also increase your personal market value, which in turn allows for the opportunities to transition to roles that fit better with your time.

Building Family Memories and Mental Resilience

Beyond professional growth, the time you reclaim can strengthen your personal life. Imagine the value of sitting down for a family dinner, coaching your child’s pickleball team, or simply being present for meaningful conversations with your partner.

These moments build the kind of memories and relationships that no paycheck can replace.

Time adds up fast!

249 working days (2024) * 1hrs = 249 free hours/yr
249 * $10/hr = $2,490.00
249 * $50/hr = $12,450.00

While dedication to non-compensation is admirable, it does little for personal growth. A objective oriented approach is required. As a cybersecurity professional, you’re tasked with protecting valuable assets—but don’t forget that your time is one of your greatest assets. It also has a limitation.

Copyright © 2025 Buford Research Group. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or use of this material is prohibited without express permission.

#!/bin/bash

# Configuration Variables
RTSP_URL="rtsp://:@:/path" # Replace with your RTSP stream URL
YOUTUBE_URL="rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2"
STREAM_KEY="" # Replace with your YouTube Live Stream Key
RESOLUTION="2560x1440" # Set the resolution
FRAMERATE=30 # Set the frame rate
VIDEO_BITRATE="6000k" # Set the video bitrate
AUDIO_BITRATE="128k" # Set the audio bitrate
BUF_SIZE="12000k" # Set the buffer size

# Run FFmpeg command
ffmpeg -i "$RTSP_URL" \
    -s "$RESOLUTION" -r "$FRAMERATE" \
    -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -maxrate "$VIDEO_BITRATE" -bufsize "$BUF_SIZE" \
    -pix_fmt yuv420p -g 60 \
    -c:a aac -b:a "$AUDIO_BITRATE" \
    -f flv "$YOUTUBE_URL/$STREAM_KEY"

ls /etc/netplan/

sudo nano /etc/netplan/01-netcfg.yaml

network:
  version: 2
  renderer: networkd
  ethernets:
    enp37s0:
      dhcp4: no
  bridges:
    br0:
      interfaces: [enp37s0]
      addresses: [192.168.1.124/24]
      gateway4: 192.168.1.1    # Replace with your gateway
      nameservers:
        addresses: [8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4]  # Replace with your DNS servers
      parameters:
        stp: false
        forward-delay: 0

I made a project manager tracker. Very simple. No auth. No security. Apache for logging.

Available on my GitHub once completed. Use at your own risk (see License details>>)

https://github.com/buf0rd/BasicBuford-Project-Manager

Time to make the moves to secure the future I look forward to living.

Enjoy the logo. Talk to ya on GMRS Chicago!

1   462.5625    5W  25kHz*
2   462.5875    5W  25kHz*
3   462.6125    5W  25kHz*
4   462.6375    5W  25kHz*
5   462.6625    5W  25kHz*
6   462.6875    5W  25kHz*
7   462.7125    5W  25kHz*
8   467.5625    0.5W    12.5kHz
9   467.5875    0.5W    12.5kHz
10  467.6125    0.5W    12.5kHz
11  467.6375    0.5W    12.5kHz
12  467.6625    0.5W    12.5kHz
13  467.6875    0.5W    12.5kHz
14  467.7125    0.5W    12.5kHz
15  462.5500    50W     25kHz*
16  462.5750    50W     25kHz*
17  462.6000    50W     25kHz*
18  462.6250    50W     25kHz*
19  462.6500    50W     25kHz*
20  462.6750    50W     25kHz*
21  462.7000    50W     25kHz*
22  462.7250    50W     25kHz*

.

GMRS vs. FRS Radios: What’s the Difference?

GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) and FRS (Family Radio Service) radios are often used for short-range communication, but they have some key differences that could matter depending on what you need them for.

Similarities

• Frequency Bands: Both GMRS and FRS operate on the same UHF range (462-467 MHz), so they can communicate with each other if tuned to the same channels.
• Ease of Use: Both are great for casual communication—family trips, neighborhood events, or hiking.

Differences

• Power Output: GMRS radios can have up to 50 watts of power, which gives them a much longer range. FRS radios are capped at 2 watts, limiting range to just a few miles.
• License: Using GMRS requires a license from the FCC, while FRS doesn’t need one.
• Channels: GMRS radios have more channel options and can use repeaters for extended range, whereas FRS radios can't access repeaters and have fewer channels available.

In a nutshell: If you need more power and range, GMRS is the way to go—but it requires a license. FRS is simpler, cheaper, and license-free, perfect for basic, close-range use.

If you know you know. Call me out. Start with you callsign and end with your callsign. I might respond.

SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

SPF is like an access control list for email servers. It’s a DNS (Domain Name System) record that specifies which IP addresses are allowed to send emails on behalf of your domain. When an email is sent, the receiving server checks the SPF record to verify if the sender’s IP address matches the ones authorized to send for that domain. If it doesn’t match, the email is flagged or rejected. This helps to reduce email spoofing, where attackers try to pretend to be someone they’re not.

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)

DKIM is all about authenticity. It adds a digital signature to your emails using cryptographic keys, which are stored in your DNS. When your email is sent, it’s signed with a private key; the receiving server then checks this signature against the public key in your DNS record to verify that the email hasn’t been tampered with in transit. It’s like a tamper-evident seal, ensuring the content remains unaltered from sender to receiver.

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance)

DMARC sits on top of SPF and DKIM as the policy enforcer. It tells receiving email servers what to do if an email fails the SPF or DKIM checks—like quarantine or reject the message. DMARC also provides reporting, so you can see who’s sending on behalf of your domain, giving you visibility into any unauthorized senders. The real power of DMARC comes with its alignment feature.

Alignment and How It Works

Alignment in DMARC is what ties SPF and DKIM together. It checks if the domains used in SPF and DKIM match the domain in the "From" address of the email. There are two types of alignment:

- Strict Alignment: The domain must match exactly.
- Relaxed Alignment: The domains must be organizationally the same, 
  meaning subdomains are acceptable.

Alignment ensures that an email isn’t just technically correct with SPF and DKIM but also visually and contextually aligns with your domain, further protecting against impersonation attacks.

How They Work Together

Think of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC as layers of a security fence. SPF checks who’s allowed in, DKIM ensures the message hasn't been tampered with, and DMARC sets the rules and monitors everything. Proper alignment of these protocols creates a stronger barrier against phishing, spoofing, and other email-based threats, enhancing your domain's security posture.

TLDR; SPF and DKIM help prove the email is legit, and DMARC, with its alignment checks, makes sure that everything lines up correctly to keep your domain’s reputation intact.

In an effort to clear my head I decided to create a new streaming VM on the home server. That turned out great. Labor day every year is the time of the year where I make sure that all of my hardware is clean and well functioning. Range time.

A few people have inquired on a recent change I made to a particular website. It was a simple Apache rewrite mod.

sudo a2enmod rewrite #enable rewrite mod
sudo a2enmod ssl #eh, optional?
sudo systemctl reload apache2 #reload Apache
sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf #modify vhost to forward to webpage.

------Add below to above file to redirect------

    ServerName yourdomain.com
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://www.instagram.com/yourusername/ [R=301,L]

------
sudo systemctl reload apache2
done! 

Wish me luck. I'm so sick of Windows as a daily driver for anything. Even recording content. I'm moving over to Linux for even OBS. Wish me luck.

I passed the certifcation y'all! Thank you to my supportive and advancement cheering SOC, Infosec Team, and Family. I wouldn't have been able to do it without each and every one of y'all. I love you and appreciate you more than you will ever know.

I've completed reading the books multiple times. My index is almost done. The goal is to not use the books...too much. I got through the practice without em.

After the exam I will share my index and method for study given no issues like failure come up.

Update: Index is now available via hyperlink above. Each color corresponds to the book-day that contains the entry. The Index document is in NO WAY a relfection of the amount of information provided from the SANS instruction and/or books. This is simply an index of information that I way need to reference come certification test time. With that being said.... your Index should be 4-5 times bigger IF you don't have a good amount of the information stored in your brain. My Index will continue to be updated until the test is complete. Peace.

In the realm of cybersecurity, having a robust toolkit for web application security assessment is crucial. Here are some of the most effective open-source tools that can help infosec professionals identify and mitigate vulnerabilities in web applications.

1. **OWASP ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)**
   - A popular tool maintained by the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP).
   - Features automated scanners and a set of tools for finding security vulnerabilities in web applications.
   - Suitable for beginners and advanced users.

2. **Burp Suite Community Edition**
   - The free version of the Burp Suite from PortSwigger.
   - Includes essential manual testing tools.
   - Can be extended with plugins to add more functionalities.

3. **Nikto**
   - A command-line tool that scans web servers for vulnerabilities.
   - Detects outdated versions of web servers and identifies various security issues.

4. **Wapiti**
   - A command-line tool that performs black-box scans of web applications.
   - Scans for a variety of vulnerabilities, including XSS, SQL injection, and file disclosure.

5. **Arachni**
   - A feature-rich, high-performance web application security scanner framework.
   - Supports both command-line and web interfaces.
   - Extensible with custom scripts and plugins.

6. **Vega**
   - A free and open-source web security scanner and testing platform.
   - Includes an automated scanner for quick assessments and a proxy for manual testing.

7. **W3af (Web Application Attack and Audit Framework)**
   - An open-source web application security scanner.
   - Combines black-box scanning with a variety of plug-ins for different types of vulnerabilities.

8. **OWTF (Offensive Web Testing Framework)**
   - Aimed at making penetration testing more efficient.
   - Integrates with other tools and automates many testing tasks.

9. **SQLMap**
   - An open-source penetration testing tool that automates the process of detecting and exploiting SQL injection flaws.
   - Features a powerful detection engine and many niche options for the ultimate penetration tester.

10. **Metasploit Framework**
    - While primarily known for exploitation, it includes tools for web application scanning and exploitation.
    - Extensible with a wide range of modules for various tasks.

These tools can help in identifying and mitigating security issues in web applications. Always ensure to use these tools ethically and only on systems where you have explicit permission to test.